1) Check for a clean title 2) check car fax for history 3) check KBB value so you don’t over pay 4) check AC 5) Check Dash for lights and use scan tool for any erased codes that may not show up on dash lights 6) Check under the hood for low fluids, good integrity fluids, dry rotted hoses and belts 7) turn engine on and listen for bad sounds and idle 8) check exhaust for smoke 9) test drive check for smooth shifting and alignment and power 10) check under car for any major leaks or rust issues 11) check for body damage and frame damage He should have mentioned 12) check tires and brake pads and lines. If those fail, you die 13) check all the lights (head,turn,reverse, brake) to make sure they are working 14) Check windows to see if they roll up and down, those are not essential but can get expensive to repair. 15) check temperature - while and after test driving. Bad fan or water pump won’t leak so you won’t see it but can F up the car. Also when test driving, drive for a good while to check to make sure the battery doesn’t run out so you know the alternator is still ok. 16) SUPER IMPORTANT!!!! Ask when the timing belt was last changed. If it breaks, some engines (interference engines) will completely be ruined. timing belts need to be changed in ABSOLUTE INTERVALS. Check the manual to know after how many miles the timing belt should be changed. If it’s 60,000. Change it at 60,000. Don’t try to get a few more thousand miles out of it. CHANGE IT or the engine could die. (If it’s a chain instead of a belt, no need to worry about mileage because those don’t need to be changed unless there’s rattling in the engine)
Check all glass for the OEM stamp. This could indicate salvage by break in or accident history. Also check all seams and carpets for water stains or musty smell. This can be signs of water intrusion come time for rainy season or car wash. Check tire thread and the struts at all 4 corners. Irregular wear is also caused by accidents and lack of proper maint. A bad strut will be wet with hydrolic fluid. Test drive with the windows down and radio off. Listen for creaks and cracks specially over rough road. Shift through the gears before driving off, any hard shifting shows bad tranny maint. weird noise could indicate bad mounts. Check the brake rotors if visible. Grooves or warping mean hard driving or poor maint. Check the insulation under the hood for any radiator fluid stains or oil stains. Look under any seat covers dash covers floor mats. Final piece of advise is if a deal doesnt feel right just walk away. Theres tons of cars for sale. Its better to pass on a good car than fall for a lemon. Take your time and spend your money wisely.
If you dont have a scanner, make sure the Check Engine light turns on when you turn the key to the on position. Some people like to remove the bulb from the cluster to make it seem like it has no codes.
Don't think I saw you check but breaks and tires are something I will never skip on checking again. Last car I bought very nearly killed me because the breaks were so far past done, the pads were non existent and had carved into the disk, this made low speed braking feel fine but the rest of the drive home was not low speed driving. I knew the car needed work, but was in a fortunate position of having access to everything it needed for nearly free and as such didn't give it a good check over, I had the same model with a broken timing belt and between the two paid less than the cost of a set of good tires but still. Always check the brakes if your driving it home.
Also, make sure the title is for the correct vehicle. Make sure the Vin number on the title matches the actual car and that the seller did not sign their name in the "Buyer Signature" section. That can cause alot of problems when trying to put it in your name.
"Are you the owner? Is the title in your name and do you have the clear title in hand?" I want the car cold, if possible and start under the hood looking for leaks, obviously. Remove the oil cap and look for signs of blown head gasket. Look at the condition of the coolant. Is it the right type? Oil in coolant? Look at the condition of the ATF and smell it, etc. Often I can walk away then without even starting it.
You forgot to listen for engine knock....you would do this by listening down low near the oil pan as the rod knock would be occurring obviously in the lower half of the engine (crankcase)
@@macknumber9 Yup, if it has passed the cold inspection. Lots to check for an the running engine. If it passes those, off for a drive. Of course, many fail the body and suspension exams/tests first.
Really dissappointing. No perspective. No idea what the really most important issues are. I wish someone on TH-cam with real knowledge would just give some mechanical basics. Is it looking under the hood? is it looking at the suspension? the brakes? the frame? the oil pan? the exhaust? If the car is offered for 1500 with a 5000 book value, well, what should I do? No one seems to be able to give a basic list of most important things to check, from most important, to least important, and, what means absolutely not, and which ones should we fix, and which one's should we ignore? this was not that video, it was you talking to a telephone.
Michael Zimmerman 1. Make sure there’s no codes and make sure no one has reset them 2. Check oil cap for blown head 3. Check exhaust smoke 4. Check for leaks underneath 5. Check the struts, push down on the front/back of the car 6. Check the belts and make sure ac blows cold and heater works 7. Check for any damage on the front/back bumpers and possibly frame damage. 8. Make sure all the fluids are topped off 9. Check the brakes: normal brakes are stiff and hard, bad brakes are soft and loose 10. Go for a test drive make sure the car drives as it should, the car shouldn’t be clunky or shaky or lost of vibrations. 11. Make sure the car has a clean tittle and will pass state inspection.
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1) Check for a clean title
2) check car fax for history
3) check KBB value so you don’t over pay
4) check AC
5) Check Dash for lights and use scan tool for any erased codes that may not show up on dash lights
6) Check under the hood for low fluids, good integrity fluids, dry rotted hoses and belts
7) turn engine on and listen for bad sounds and idle
8) check exhaust for smoke
9) test drive check for smooth shifting and alignment and power
10) check under car for any major leaks or rust issues
11) check for body damage and frame damage
He should have mentioned
12) check tires and brake pads and lines. If those fail, you die
13) check all the lights (head,turn,reverse, brake) to make sure they are working
14) Check windows to see if they roll up and down, those are not essential but can get expensive to repair.
15) check temperature - while and after test driving. Bad fan or water pump won’t leak so you won’t see it but can F up the car. Also when test driving, drive for a good while to check to make sure the battery doesn’t run out so you know the alternator is still ok.
16) SUPER IMPORTANT!!!! Ask when the timing belt was last changed. If it breaks, some engines (interference engines) will completely be ruined. timing belts need to be changed in ABSOLUTE INTERVALS. Check the manual to know after how many miles the timing belt should be changed. If it’s 60,000. Change it at 60,000. Don’t try to get a few more thousand miles out of it. CHANGE IT or the engine could die. (If it’s a chain instead of a belt, no need to worry about mileage because those don’t need to be changed unless there’s rattling in the engine)
Check all glass for the OEM stamp. This could indicate salvage by break in or accident history. Also check all seams and carpets for water stains or musty smell. This can be signs of water intrusion come time for rainy season or car wash. Check tire thread and the struts at all 4 corners. Irregular wear is also caused by accidents and lack of proper maint. A bad strut will be wet with hydrolic fluid. Test drive with the windows down and radio off. Listen for creaks and cracks specially over rough road. Shift through the gears before driving off, any hard shifting shows bad tranny maint. weird noise could indicate bad mounts. Check the brake rotors if visible. Grooves or warping mean hard driving or poor maint. Check the insulation under the hood for any radiator fluid stains or oil stains. Look under any seat covers dash covers floor mats.
Final piece of advise is if a deal doesnt feel right just walk away. Theres tons of cars for sale. Its better to pass on a good car than fall for a lemon. Take your time and spend your money wisely.
Thanks for the share. Great info
Can you make a video? I don’t know much of what you’re talking about
Absolutely 👍
If you dont have a scanner, make sure the Check Engine light turns on when you turn the key to the on position. Some people like to remove the bulb from the cluster to make it seem like it has no codes.
Great advise!
That’s a great tip
Yes, I've bought a car and the bulb was removed. I lost 2k on that car.
I have a scanner I just dont know how to see if they deleted any codes...
@@macknumber9 let the car idle for a while and test drive it. If there is something wrong the light will come back on.
Don't think I saw you check but breaks and tires are something I will never skip on checking again.
Last car I bought very nearly killed me because the breaks were so far past done, the pads were non existent and had carved into the disk, this made low speed braking feel fine but the rest of the drive home was not low speed driving.
I knew the car needed work, but was in a fortunate position of having access to everything it needed for nearly free and as such didn't give it a good check over, I had the same model with a broken timing belt and between the two paid less than the cost of a set of good tires but still.
Always check the brakes if your driving it home.
Also, make sure the title is for the correct vehicle. Make sure the Vin number on the title matches the actual car and that the seller did not sign their name in the "Buyer Signature" section. That can cause alot of problems when trying to put it in your name.
Great video!!
Whats up reggie its Lexi and AJ we saw you yesterday great vid
Thanks
Awesome video man! Subbed. Keep up the good work. The only minor issue was the "technical problems" (the occasional buzzing sound).
Thanks
Awesome
"Are you the owner? Is the title in your name and do you have the clear title in hand?" I want the car cold, if possible and start under the hood looking for leaks, obviously. Remove the oil cap and look for signs of blown head gasket. Look at the condition of the coolant. Is it the right type? Oil in coolant? Look at the condition of the ATF and smell it, etc. Often I can walk away then without even starting it.
Great, advise, Thanks for the contribution.
Lmao true
You forgot to listen for engine knock....you would do this by listening down low near the oil pan as the rod knock would be occurring obviously in the lower half of the engine (crankcase)
@@macknumber9 Yup, if it has passed the cold inspection. Lots to check for an the running engine. If it passes those, off for a drive. Of course, many fail the body and suspension exams/tests first.
Me: car doesn’t seem so bad.
Me: oh body damage rust no thanks.
what a heap! maybe used as a station car
Great video. it sounded like you had gum or toothpick or straw in mouth.
the audio is horrible
Really dissappointing. No perspective. No idea what the really most important issues are. I wish someone on TH-cam with real knowledge would just give some mechanical basics. Is it looking under the hood? is it looking at the suspension? the brakes? the frame? the oil pan? the exhaust? If the car is offered for 1500 with a 5000 book value, well, what should I do? No one seems to be able to give a basic list of most important things to check, from most important, to least important, and, what means absolutely not, and which ones should we fix, and which one's should we ignore? this was not that video, it was you talking to a telephone.
Michael Zimmerman
1. Make sure there’s no codes and make sure no one has reset them
2. Check oil cap for blown head
3. Check exhaust smoke
4. Check for leaks underneath
5. Check the struts, push down on the front/back of the car
6. Check the belts and make sure ac blows cold and heater works
7. Check for any damage on the front/back bumpers and possibly frame damage.
8. Make sure all the fluids are topped off
9. Check the brakes: normal brakes are stiff and hard, bad brakes are soft and loose
10. Go for a test drive make sure the car drives as it should, the car shouldn’t be clunky or shaky or lost of vibrations.
11. Make sure the car has a clean tittle and will pass state inspection.
Does it have 4 wheels?
Does it start?
If it doesn't start, open the hood and check if there's an engine. Done.
@@Bizija123 idiot comment